Facebook: the new Twitter?

So long as you’re not one of the 120 million worldwide users that Facebook has, you’ll have noticed a distinct shift in how the social networking site operates. In its most recent update the move has been made to create a very Twitter-like environment. Status updates are now king, and rule over everything else.

While no functionality has dropped off, everything else does feel like it’s been pushed slightly sideways. Friend requests and Group invites are now small and inconspicuous, sitting above your ‘feed’, out of harms way. New groups that your friends join, events that friends are going to, and friend’s birthdays all run down a single column space on the right hand side of the page. This is not the Facebook that people were using.

But why? Is Twitter such a threat THAT Facebook needs to change it’s entire user interaction?

Without doubt celebrity endorsement has to be looked on as an initial key driving force. This year has seen Twitter’s number rocket, with many people now using the site to keep up to date with all their favourite bands, tv personalities, comedians and movie stars. The Facebook status update fell by the wayside.

Of course this had the direct effect of boasting Twitter’s site stats. In February alone Twitter had 7 million unique visits, up 1,382% from a year ago (according to Nielsen NetView). But it’s not just the numbers, it’s who these numbers are. 42%n of Tweeters are between 35 and 49 years old.

So first Facebook offered to buy Twitter. An offer was made of $500 million offer for the microblog network. The offer was not taken.

Facebook did however offer one very obvious advantage over Twitter. When you Tweet, your comments are open to the world for all to see (not always advantageous) whereas on Facebook you can select who can view your profile and, more importantly, any conversation that a comment generates is kept altogether in one place. An extremely handy feature when you want to see the whole conversation, and something which is very difficult on Twitter.

So is this best of both worlds, or a lousy hybrid that falls down entirely? Personally I like the new Facebook. I have no issue finding everything that has always been there and I enjoy the Twitter-esque functionality it now offers. Win win in my books.

Nike: Challenge (Men vs Women)

"Honey, where's my shoes...?"

You like your girlfriend, you may even love her, but lets face it, in the ultimate grudge match there is no love. There's brotherhood and sisterhood. There's the age old question of who's the better, stronger, smarter or fitter sex. In Nike's latest campaign they dare to not only ask the question, but provide a forum for an answer.

Nike+ Challenge pits the sexes against eachother to see who can run more in 38 days. Launched on March 13th the campaign integrates Nike's extensive product suite of sports fitness wear and shoes, with the Nike iPod Sports Kit - allowing all your workouts to be recorded and communicated back to the Challenge in the easiest way possible.

This is a fantastic example of cross-brand integration and digital integration. The campaign microsite gives you everything from suggest running routes, to song mixes, to product links in the Nike online store. This is a must see campaign!

Evolution of the logo

I posted before about logos both here on Digitology and over on Cybercom, but both these posts have nothing on this video. Awesome stuff (sorry I'm a graphic novel geek).

Bill Shannon: Legend!

I'm sure everyone has seen the new Visa ad featuring the dude on the crutches. One word: awesome. If you're lucky enough, you may have also seen the same guy in the RJD2 promo video. Both of these are simply breathtaking, and unveil a talent that most of us would never have had the opportunity to enjoy. But who is the man behind the moves?

Bill Shannon is the gentleman in question; this is his site and this is the LifeFlowsBetter YouTube channel on which he's also featured. If you don't do anything else today, watch the two videos below and visit his site. You won't be sorry.

Gmail: Undo Send (finally!)

I wrote before about Gmail's Mail Goggles, the great addition to prevent those late night (sometimes inebriated) emails that you just wish you'd never sent. Well Gmail has finally announced the addition of an Undo Send button that lets people stop an email message they have just sent.

Let's face it, it may not happen often but when it does and you hit the sent button only to have all that anger fall away, followed immediately by the sledge hammer of reality, that you should not have told your boss those things, this is one feature that will save your (job) life.